Been watching this site for quite a while now. Used it mainly as a motivational tool to get me through the cravings for alcohol.
I’m 2 hours short of my first 10 days sober, but I have a question. Should I feel so tired all the time?
I’ve used holidays to reduce my working hours for this first month. Partly to give myself an easier time, partly to reduce job related stress which has always triggered my drinking. But by 5pm each day I’m dead on my feet. I feel like I’m on another level, watching myself from a far. Has anyone else experienced this? I’ve come off alcohol for short periods before, but it never left me feeling like this. I can honestly say I feel worse than when I drink!
Make sure your getting the proper amount of nutrition. I would suggest a multi-vitamin, omega3, Vit D and Milk Thistle. Last, but not least plenty of sleep!!! If your that tired, your body is healing. Lot of times we don’t realize, it’s a full time job for the body to get rid of our daily alcohol usage. Now, your body is healing parts of the body that were neglected because of daily alcohol usage. Working out at the gym will also give u more energy, and help you sleep more soundly.
Absolutely completely normal. PAWS symptoms come in waves and as was stated, tired is part of the package. I just take care of myself, don’t eat too much crap and get plenty of sleep and/or rest as needed.
Take it easy and listen to your body, there’s no corners you can cut in recovery it all just takes time to level out. I didn’t sleep properly for the first 40 nights and now after 11 months I think I gotta bit of insomnia again and walk about like a zombie but I’m still learning this new life one day at a time.
Thank you all for your replies. I think this has taken me a little by surprise. It’s a strange phenomenon to feel so drunk, tired and disoriented when off alcohol! I guess drinking everyday for 25 years has been the norm for my body. It’s quite frightening to realise just how reliant you were physically, I always thought the biggest issue would be my mind, I guess that battle could be in the near future!
I just got my first physical with a blood panel done last week. It had been a long while. Thankfully my liver enzymes were normal. Definitely get a physical and bloodwork. Welcome to TS!
At this time you are on 10 days, and that is great. This early on be gentle with yourself. Your body is adjusting to not having something it fought so hard to get you to drink daily. Hydrate, don’t isolate, meetings and visit here often.
Well I went and bought some vitamins today after work. I’ve been hitting the water cooler all day in the office to stay hydrated (with the odd coffee I might add!). Going to see if I can make it to day 50 and reassess how fatigued I’m feeling. Think the above suggestion around getting a health/blood check up is very valid, will contact my Doctor next week. Anyhow it’s nearly 10pm in the UK, I’m going to bed to see if I can get some sleep. Hoping a few earlier nights might help me get through the working day without the draining fatigue. Best wishes to everyone else who is also suffering at the moment. Again thanks for all the great advice which has obviously been earned the hard way.
Hi, i’m on 11 days now, feel tired too. Like my body decided to restore after hard work. I agree with 1st answer - polyvitamins, omega3 and vitamin D are great, sport is great, enough sleep and good food.
To be honest i’m also surprised to feel tired now, i even think maybe it’s post covid hitting again, anyway sleep issues are definitely present, maybe quality of sleep is still bad. Can’t fall asleep and first days i woke up randomly in the night or in the morning. Now it’s better. Maybe my body says like “finally! nervous system is not so broken anymore, sleep sleep sleep”. Maybe yours too just having a rest hope you have opportunity to spend your time enjoying this rest
I’m on day 22. I detoxed in an ER then hospital. (Not planned ahead) I felt pretty good after being released. I stayed well hydrated, took my prescriptions and vitamins every day. Ate healthy food. I was walking a little bit on my treadmill every day. I had significant brain fog from about day 5 through day 12. I physically crashed around day 13. I was completely exhausted. I stopped all exercise and rested. I started feeling better about 5-6 days later. I’m feeling pretty good at this point. Every one is different. Your body and brain are healing. Take it easy and eat nutritious foods. It will get better.
Hope this doesn’t sound horrible but… so glad others have/are experiencing this! It’s reassuring to know that it’s a perfectly normal reaction. I did sleep rather well last night, got up for work without the foggy head I’ve been having on awakening. I think we all just need to accept It’s a long game we’re engaged in and things will improve over time.
You’re definitely not alone. I’m 3 days in without alcohol and feeling very rough. In my case it feels similar to sugar withdrawals when transitioning to ketosis, but worse with loads of anxiety and the occasional panic attack.
It sounds like you’re doing great so far. Keep it up!
Thanks Alan. Best of luck to you as well. I hadn’t thought of it the way you’d put it, but I agree it does feel like the times when you’re over hungry or low on bloody sugar. Think the sheer amount of caffeine I consume at work is just about keeping me at a functional level. It was that bad earlier in the week I nearly went and bought a pack of Stella! But I’d just have to go through all this again…
I’m tired too. I’m on day 8 right now. I think it may partially be my fault too though because I’ve kinda been throwing myself into work a bit heavier to try to keep myself as busy as possible. I literally have to drag myself out of bed every morning for work. I don’t sleep soundly either so isn’t helping.
Yeah. I’ve been using my work as a bit of a routine to keep myself occupied with something other than the thought of alcohol. 3 day weekend this time in the UK due to a bank holiday. Could either be really good for catching up on rest or a nightmare due to everyone spending an extra day drinking…
hope you have opportunity to spend your time enjoying this rest